Lemuel e



(No Model.)

L.v E. IRISH.

HAMMOGK. No. 566,180. Patented Aug. 18, 1896.

M .l l2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEMUEL E. IRISH, OF GREENVILLE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO DUNCAN K. BLACK AND GEORGE R. SLAWSON, OF SAME PLACE.

HAMMOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,180, dated August 18, 1896.

Application tiled April 2.7, 1896. Serial No. 589,303. (No model.)

' such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention pertains to hammocks, and the object thereof is to provide a hammock having its body formed of wire links of such construction that the hammock is adapted to fold compactly without straining or distorting the links.

A further object is to provide an exceptionally strong, simple, and durable linked foldable selvage edge which will not become tangled or distorted when the hammock is folded.

A further object is to provide an improved safety device for relieving the hammocksprings before they have expanded so far as to lose their life.

A further object is to provide an improved transverse hammock end bar or stick.

Other objects and advantages possessed by my improved hammock will appear and be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed7 and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a perspective view of the hammock. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the selvage edge. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the springs expanded so as to bring the safety device into play. Fig. 4 is a plan view of portions of two of the transverse rows of links folded together. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one spring in normal position.

The body ofthe hammock is made up of transverse rows of substantially V-shaped links A. The apex of each link is formed into a rounded eye B, said eye being nearly closed, so that when the' terminals C of the links of the row next adjacent are twisted and secured into said eye they will be held in place when the hammock is folded, as shown in Fig. 4E. Were the link terminals free to move longitudinally on the link to which they are secured and away from the f apex of each securing-link, such movement would take place in folding the hammock, resulting in an uneven fold. The extremities C are made parallel for a short distance toward the link apex, so that in folding the said parallel portions will extend through the contracted bases of eyes B, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and thus make a flat fold. Vere the link sides to diverge to 'their extremities they would in folding bind against the contracted bases or necks of eyes B, and when pressed together under such circumstances would be forced out of shape, as will be readily understood.

The selvage-links D occur upon alternate ends of the transverse link rows and differ in shape from links A in that the outer bar E of each of said links extends parallel with the longitudinal extent of the hammock, as shown, and such parallel side is made longer, whereby it is adapted to be turned backward to near eye B of the link, Where it is secured by twisting to the straight side E, thus forming loop F.

The extremity of loop F is in line with terminals C of the links of the row in which it occurs, and for connecting it to the next selnected by coiled springs I to the end bar or stick J. A spring is provided for-each link in the transverse row,as shown. Iithin each coiled spring are links K, the same being looped together and at one end so connected as to receive directly the Weight of the hammock, while at vthe other end each pair of the said combined links is secured to barJ. By this arrangement when the hammock is overweighted and the coiled springs expanded so far as is consistent with their strength the we ight is thrown upon links K and the springs are relieved and thus preserved. I propose to form bars J of spring metal, so that when IOO the hammock is occupied they will bend or curve to conform to the contour of the hammock, but which normally will bel straight and thus in readiness to make a compact fold. Such compact folding would be impossible with a permanently-curved end bar, while a rigid straight bar would not afford the comfort derived from the compensating oryield ing bar herein described. Chains M extend from'the ends of bar J to suspending-ring N, while a central chain O leads from said ring to the center of the bar and is normally slack, so as to permit bending of the bar before being brought into play. The amount of slack afforded this central chain will govern the extent of curve which it may be desired to allow the bar. The safety devices for the coiled springs are contained entirely within the latter, and hence it is impossible for them to get out of place or to become tangled when the hammock is folded.

The selvage edges herein shown and deseribed,while permitting complete transverse bends or folds at each juncture of the transverse rows of links, are exceptionally strong and durable and will not yield to the transverse strain to which the selvage edges of hammocks are universally subjected, nor will the links constituting said selvages tangle or becom e distorted when the hammock is folded.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the hammock fabric composed of a series of rows of independent links arranged side by side, the links being of substantially V shape with the terminals thereof secured in the loop ends of the links next adjacent, the selvage-links at the ends of the rows being of substantially the same outline as those in the body of the fabric, elongated loops F formed by turning the outer arms of the selvage-links back upon themselves, said selvage-links occurring in alternate rows of links, and connections II between and connecting the selvage-links, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the transverse rows of connected links, selvage-links D at the ends of the alternate rows, said links D having their outer portions extending in line parallel with the longitudinal extent of the hammock with said outer portions turned backward to form loops F, and the loops for connecting the adjacent selvage-links, the selvage-links and loops being of the same length as the width of the respective rows in which they occur, substantially as shown and described.

3. A fabric for hammocks composed of parallel rows of substantially V-shaped links, each link having its apex formed into a nearlyclosed eye in which the terminals of the links of the next adjacent row are secured, said link terminals being parallel adjacent the nearly closed eye, and arranged to bear against each other at said parallel portions whereby when the fabric is folded the rows of links will bear flatly one upon the other, the parallel link extremities being extended through the open portion of the link-eye in which they are secured, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a hammock composed of transverse sections or rows of links adapted to fold together, the combination of links A of substantially V shape and arranged in succession to constitute said rows, the nearly-closed eye B formed in the loop end or apex of each link,

the adjacent extremities of two links being secured and adapted to turn in each eye B, the said adjacent link extremities being parallel a short distance and adapted to bear one against the other at said point, whereby when the hammock-sections are folded together the parallel link extremities will pass through the contracted opening of eye B and thus fold fiat without bending or straining the links, substantially as shown and described.

' 5. The combination of the normally straight but flexible end bar, the hammock-body secured thereto, a hanging device, the chains extending from the ends of the bar to said hanging device, and the normally slack chain extending from said hanging device and connected to the bar between its ends for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses. LEMUEL E. IRISH.

Vitncsses:

VILLIAM A. HALL, DAVID I.. HYDE. 

